


Why don't you like me without making me try

by BardsandNoble



Series: Rane Week [2]
Category: Dalton Academy Series
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, dalton big bang 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 17:49:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15176066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BardsandNoble/pseuds/BardsandNoble
Summary: Day 2 - Rane: First Fight





	Why don't you like me without making me try

“No, no no no no no, why, Shane?!”

Shane looked genuinely puzzled, his head cocked in a manner reminiscent of a confused puppy. “Because it’s perfect. Because you’re perfect. And so I just thought your mom would -”

“Well you thought wrong! It’s not perfect, it’s not nearly finished. She wasn’t supposed to be here yet, more or less know anything about it!” Reed could do nothing but stare, panicked, at the painting. The painting of Shane’s eyes. “Or, or…about you!” he stammered, seemingly more flustered by the second.

“Me? But I,” Shane seemed taken aback. “She’s seen me before, she knows who I am. Just because she doesn’t know -”

“She _knows_ ,” Reed interrupted, managing to take his eyes off the painting to send a threatening look toward his boyfriend, “that you are Blaine Anderson’s brother, that you go here, and that she’s probably seen you on stage with the Warblers. And yes, she _didn’t_ know you’re my boyfriend, and that was _supposed_ to stay that way. But now that she shows up here, out of nowhere, while I’m preoccupied across campus, you think it’s a good idea to invite her up and show her my work in progress? My work in progress that’s obviously of _you_? Don’t you think that sends her messages that make you seem like a little more than just my friend’s brother???”

“Alright, okay, I can see that now,” Shane replied, in as a calm a tone as he can manage. “But couldn’t this maybe be a good thing? Maybe it’s better that she has some suspicion! It could make it easier to break it to her when you tell her.”

“What about any of this makes you think I _want_ to tell her?”

Shane opened his mouth to speak, but he stopped. The unusual sound of silence from Shane Anderson made Reed pause biting his nails to look directly at him. Shane’s eyes were turned to the floor. “Shane?” “You don’t want her to know about me,” he mumbled dejectedly. “You don’t want her to know because you’re ashamed of me.”

Reed resumed frowning. “Shane, don’t be ridiculous.”

“You must be! I mean, the only things in my wardrobe that _you_ haven’t given me are from Target. I don’t know anything about art and fashion. I have the worst case of foot-in-mouth syndrome of anyone you’ve ever met. And…” he rushed the last sentence out, “you could have any model on the Paris runways, but you’re stuck with me.”

Reed began to cry. It struck him so suddenly that they had actually been fighting and that Shane was hurt that he had to sit down on the end of his bed. Though Shane seemed pained by his previous disclosure, his automatic response was to rush to Reed’s side regardless. Reed immediately buried his face in his shoulder, muffling his response.

“I’m not stuck with you. I’m not ashamed of you, of any of those things. Look at me! I’m a mess. That was complete nonsense, the bit about me dating a model. I wouldn’t want anyone but you. Which is why I am dating you, silly.” He lifted his head to look directly into Shane’s eyes, which were spilling a few tears in reaction to Reed’s own. “I love you. It’s not you that’s not good enough for her. It’s me that will never be good enough for her. I didn’t really want her to know because I hate her knowing anything about me. Because no matter what it is, no matter how wonderful it is, no matter how much it makes me happy, she finds someway to disapprove of it and make me feel awful for loving it. And I’m worried she’d be that terrible toward any person I love as well.” Reed resumed biting his nails in residual anxiety.

Shane took his hands to prevent further damage. “I don’t care how she treats me. It wouldn’t change how I feel about you.” Then, frowning, “But I care a whole lot about how she treats you.”

Reed was able to smile now that the tension was diffused. “I know that, all of that. I’m sorry for my reaction, when she’s the one who really deserves it.”

“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have put you in this position. I don’t really think ahead, do I?”

“Not at all.”

Shane put his hand to Reed’s face to swipe tears away with his thumb before kissing him softly. “And I love you, too.” They leaned their foreheads to rest together, and, after a moment of contented silence, Shane whispered, “And in case it wasn’t obvious, I really do like that painting.”


End file.
